Sulcata Bladder Stone Surgery

Status
Not open for further replies.

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
I would be concerned that on the floor would be too cold for your tortoise. It's amazing how cold the floor can be, even over carpet, on the floor. With their flat plastron, the temperature of the surface upon which they rest is quite important to their core body temperature. I my home, the floor can average about 8° cooler than the thermostat in my home says. I use an infrared thermometer gun and shoot the space between the tortoise front leg and neck to try to get an indication of their body temperature. Have you checked that? I would try to keep the tortoises core body temp at 85-90° while healing.

Towels and blankets will do nothing except keep in heat that is already there - or keep out heat. Since a tortoise is not warm-blooded, insulation around the tortoise keeps it from gaining heat from a heat source.
 

DozerCooley

Active Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
34
Location (City and/or State)
New York
The lights might be up too high. Do you have a lazer temperature thingey? Point it at her shell and see what the temp. reads. Because she's recovering from surgery, she probably should be kept on the warm side, like about 85F or 90F or so.

Yes, we've adjusted the lights and she's now basking between 95-115. Hopefully that'll help her a bit. Poor thing.
 

DozerCooley

Active Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
34
Location (City and/or State)
New York
Dozer has had her ups and downs today. She vomited some time last night and again this morning. It was undigested food and what smelled a lot like poop. We called Cornell and they said to monitor her and if nothing gets worse to bring her in tomorrow to get fluids and a shot to help her digestive system get moving again. She spent most of the day acting very lethargic and just down and out. We just monitored her and let her sleep. This evening we had to change her dressings and clean and put antibiotic cream on her incisions and also had to give her an antibiotic shot. During this she really came to life and was her feisty self for a bit. She's now back resting under her heat lamp where she'll probably remain for the rest of the night. Please keep her in your thoughts. Thank you everyone!
EAE05721-A264-407C-A35C-9E9D4572CB06.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • C3D67FA5-F42C-44C1-8684-DBEE19CA9A7C.jpeg
    C3D67FA5-F42C-44C1-8684-DBEE19CA9A7C.jpeg
    2.6 MB · Views: 26

DozerCooley

Active Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
34
Location (City and/or State)
New York
Afternoon update on Dozer: She went in and got fluids and an injection to help get her digestive system get restarted this morning. She pooped a very small amount on the ride home so this seems to be promising! We have a new protocol of soaking her back end once a day (as we can't soak her like usual as her incision needs to be kept clean) and they've also added another new daily injection to continue to support her digestive system. She still isn't interested in eating and she spends almost all of her time sleeping in her basking area - so this point we just hope she's healing more and more every day and will be back to her normal feisty self soon. Please keep sending positive vibes her way! Thanks!
 

Miscally

Active Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jun 23, 2017
Messages
248
Afternoon update on Dozer: She went in and got fluids and an injection to help get her digestive system get restarted this morning. She pooped a very small amount on the ride home so this seems to be promising! We have a new protocol of soaking her back end once a day (as we can't soak her like usual as her incision needs to be kept clean) and they've also added another new daily injection to continue to support her digestive system. She still isn't interested in eating and she spends almost all of her time sleeping in her basking area - so this point we just hope she's healing more and more every day and will be back to her normal feisty self soon. Please keep sending positive vibes her way! Thanks!
Still sending prayers your way [emoji4]
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
I just read the other posts. I know for myself after operations it takes me awhile to do the duty. After I woke from my coma it was 12 days.
Is that to much info?o_O
 

EllieMay

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
9,603
Location (City and/or State)
East Texas
I just read the other posts. I know for myself after operations it takes me awhile to do the duty. After I woke from my coma it was 12 days.
Is that to much info?o_O

Not in this situation.. certain anesthetics and pain killers are notorious for causing constipation. Often stimulator drugs are prescribed with for just that reason.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top